The invention relates to a device for securing turnable panels, turnable pockets, turnable casings or the like which are provided, on a border in each case, with two oppositely directed, aligned pivot pins, in the case of which device aligned holes which form rows of holes, and are intended for accommodating the pivot pins, are provided on the top and bottom borders of a carrier.
A device of the abovementioned type is known from DE-B 1 272 883. The known device comprises two posts, which are connected by a top and bottom transverse carrier, and two side parts, which are fastened at the bottom ends of the posts by rivets and retain the posts in an upright position. The transverse carriers are provided with guide grooves and latching means for accommodating pivot pins which project, at the top and bottom ends in each case of a longitudinal border of the turnable panels, beyond the transverse borders of the latter. The construction of the abovedescribed device is comparatively complicated and it is consequently cost-intensive to produce.
Another known retaining device, which comprises an angled sheet-metal plate of which the legs form an angle of less than 90xc2x0 (DURABLE, Catalog 950, p. 109), can be produced more cost-effectively. The shorter of the two legs forms a foot, while the longer leg is provided, at its top and bottom ends, with fittings which have pivot bearings for the turnable panels. In this case, the pivot bearings are formed by pins which engage in cylindrical mounts at the top and bottom ends in each case of a longitudinal border of the pivoting panels. The width of the sheet-metal plate and of the fittings depends on the number of turnable panels which are to be accommodated in each case.
While, in both the cases mentioned above, the number of turnable panels which are to be accommodated is determined by the width of the respective device, DE 197 03 754 C2 discloses a device which is constructed in the manner of a module system and allows the accommodating capacity of the device to be changed by virtue of components being coupled. The components of this third known device are designed largely as plastic injection moldings, the production of which is associated with comparatively high tool costs.
The object of the invention is to provide a device of the initially mentioned type which can be produced at low cost and, by straightforward means, allows its accommodating capacity to be changed. This object is achieved according to the invention in that, in the case of a device of the generic type in question, the carrier can be connected to at least one further carrier by coupling elements, in that the coupling elements have holes which form rows of holes and of which the hole spacing is coordinated with the hole spacing of the holes of the rows of holes of the carriers, and in that, for connecting adjacent carriers in each case, holes which belong to the coupling elements and are brought into an aligned position with holes of the carriers, on both sides of the connecting location, form common mounts for in each case one pivot pin.
The device according to the invention allows cost-effective production by the use of punching methods. The connection of a plurality of carriers to form a unit is particularly cleverly achieved insofar as the pivot pins of the turnable panels, turnable pockets, turnable casings or the like, in addition to their main function, perform an additional function by arresting the coupling elements in the coupling state.